Liberty Ammunition Wins $15 Million in Lawsuit Against US Government for Patent Infringement

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It’s rare to sue a federal agency and win statistically speaking. It’s even rarer to win a multi-million dollar settlement from said lawsuit.

However, that’s exactly what Liberty ammunition has done. The ammo maker, which specialized in lead free ammo, sued the Department of Defense for patent infringement in 2011 and just got a massive payday from the suit.

Liberty Ammunition filed suit against the Department of Defense in 2011, claiming that the Department of the Army used Liberty’s trade secrets to produce “enhanced performance rounds” for military rifles that were nearly identical to a bullet Liberty patented. The Army has been using lead-free bullets for several years produced by other manufacturers working under military contract.

U.S. Federal Court of Claims Judge Charles F. Lettow filed a decision Dec. 19 in which he found the federal government had infringed on Liberty’s patent for its copper-core, steel-tipped ammunition. Lettow ordered the government to pay two levels of damages, the first being a $15.6 million lump payment.

The government was also ordered to pay a 1.4-cent royalty on every bullet it purchases and receives for use. It will make those payments until Liberty’s patent expires in 2027.

Too bad it’s ultimately taxpayer money which will be used to pay out the money owed.